This is purely hypothetical and is being posted for the sake of discussion and curiosity.

I've often seen posts asking if parent's ask the parents of their children's friends if there are guns in the home before they let their children go over to the home.

My question is to those that do own a gun, would you tell the parents of your children's friends if they were to ask you if you had guns in the home? Would the question put you off and prevent you from having their child over to your home to play? How far would you be willing to go to alleviate the concerns of the child's parents?

Replies

Only the child of IRRESPONSIBLE gun owners would ever think to "show off" the guns. Children of responsible gun owners are taught at young ages exactly what damage a gun can and will do, how to safely handle a gun, and that guns are NOT toys to be shown off. God help one of my children if they ever decided to show off our guns. Our 11 year old dd knows better; our 3 year old has no clue that we have them, where they are and cannot reach them, to show them off.

Quoting katy_kay08:

my concern isn't about the my children wandering but rather the child that lives there showing off. This is far more likely than the strange kid peeking in your closests.

Quoting EireLass:

This is actually what I've been thinking about when I read about people NOT allowing kids to go into gun-homes. What kind of kids do these people have that the kids have the right to wander all over the place where they don't belong? Nobody belongs in my bedroom but myself and my husband. Don't people teach their children manners? And the woman about the dogs...if you don't put your dog away, the kid can't come over. How about you teach your child they are NOT to touch a service dog? This is part of what's wrong.....people think their children are angels and do no wrong. So really the choice is you (general) teach your little kid manners, or I do.

Quoting dustinsmom1:

They are out of reach from small hands and children are not left unattended in our home. There is little or no chance of a child getting their hands on a gun, even if they got close my son would tell them not to and come get me or his father immediately if we were not right there. We know where the children are in our home at all times. And no matter the situation, my answer would not change. Children who don't follow rules are not allowed in my home.

Quoting hismommy2010:

It's not just about them not wanting their child in your home if you own a gun. So you are saying your guns are within easy reach - so what if that child that came over grabbed that gun and killed your child? Bet that would change your answer

Quoting dustinsmom1:

Of course, if they asked I would tell them. My guns remain where they are at all times, I'm not changing my life to accommodate your child. If your kid doesn't know what "no" means or "don't touch" I don't want them in my house anyhow.I see no point in owning guns for protection if they are not easily accessible if needed.

Questions are good. At least, that's how we raise our children. There is no such thing as a stupid question. This is no different.

Quoting katy_kay08:

yes, and again how would one know the difference without asking?

Quoting AutymsMommy:

Only the child of IRRESPONSIBLE gun owners would ever think to "show off" the guns. Children of responsible gun owners are taught at young ages exactly what damage a gun can and will do, how to safely handle a gun, and that guns are NOT toys to be shown off. God help one of my children if they ever decided to show off our guns. Our 11 year old dd knows better; our 3 year old has no clue that we have them, where they are and cannot reach them, to show them off.

Quoting katy_kay08:

my concern isn't about the my children wandering but rather the child that lives there showing off. This is far more likely than the strange kid peeking in your closests.

Quoting EireLass:

This is actually what I've been thinking about when I read about people NOT allowing kids to go into gun-homes. What kind of kids do these people have that the kids have the right to wander all over the place where they don't belong? Nobody belongs in my bedroom but myself and my husband. Don't people teach their children manners? And the woman about the dogs...if you don't put your dog away, the kid can't come over. How about you teach your child they are NOT to touch a service dog? This is part of what's wrong.....people think their children are angels and do no wrong. So really the choice is you (general) teach your little kid manners, or I do.

Quoting dustinsmom1:

They are out of reach from small hands and children are not left unattended in our home. There is little or no chance of a child getting their hands on a gun, even if they got close my son would tell them not to and come get me or his father immediately if we were not right there. We know where the children are in our home at all times. And no matter the situation, my answer would not change. Children who don't follow rules are not allowed in my home.

Quoting hismommy2010:

It's not just about them not wanting their child in your home if you own a gun. So you are saying your guns are within easy reach - so what if that child that came over grabbed that gun and killed your child? Bet that would change your answer

Quoting dustinsmom1:

Of course, if they asked I would tell them. My guns remain where they are at all times, I'm not changing my life to accommodate your child. If your kid doesn't know what "no" means or "don't touch" I don't want them in my house anyhow.I see no point in owning guns for protection if they are not easily accessible if needed.

and how would the parent of the child you invited over know this? It seems from the responses that many of the women here think they should be trusted until shown they can't be, the problem is that waiting until you (general) prove that you don't have your house and kids all that together could mean a child is dead. Your (general) ego is not worth that risk.

Quoting dustinsmom1:

My child has been taught properly, so there would be no "showing off'. As w/ any child that has been taught properly.

Quoting katy_kay08:

My child doesn't have to touch the gun to be shot by a your child showing off. (general you)

Quoting dustinsmom1:

If your children are taught respect, and what "no" means, and that there are things and places that they aren't allowed to touch or be. This is never an issue. (referring to katykay)

Quoting EireLass:

Same thing applies. Nobody belongs in my bedroom but my husband and I.

I know. I just find it strange that so many here think everyone should give them trust they haven't earned.

Quoting AutymsMommy:

That's why I have no problem with them asking :)

Questions are good. At least, that's how we raise our children. There is no such thing as a stupid question. This is no different.

Quoting katy_kay08:

yes, and again how would one know the difference without asking?

Quoting AutymsMommy:

Only the child of IRRESPONSIBLE gun owners would ever think to "show off" the guns. Children of responsible gun owners are taught at young ages exactly what damage a gun can and will do, how to safely handle a gun, and that guns are NOT toys to be shown off. God help one of my children if they ever decided to show off our guns. Our 11 year old dd knows better; our 3 year old has no clue that we have them, where they are and cannot reach them, to show them off.

Quoting katy_kay08:

my concern isn't about the my children wandering but rather the child that lives there showing off. This is far more likely than the strange kid peeking in your closests.

Quoting EireLass:

This is actually what I've been thinking about when I read about people NOT allowing kids to go into gun-homes. What kind of kids do these people have that the kids have the right to wander all over the place where they don't belong? Nobody belongs in my bedroom but myself and my husband. Don't people teach their children manners? And the woman about the dogs...if you don't put your dog away, the kid can't come over. How about you teach your child they are NOT to touch a service dog? This is part of what's wrong.....people think their children are angels and do no wrong. So really the choice is you (general) teach your little kid manners, or I do.

Quoting dustinsmom1:

They are out of reach from small hands and children are not left unattended in our home. There is little or no chance of a child getting their hands on a gun, even if they got close my son would tell them not to and come get me or his father immediately if we were not right there. We know where the children are in our home at all times. And no matter the situation, my answer would not change. Children who don't follow rules are not allowed in my home.

Quoting hismommy2010:

It's not just about them not wanting their child in your home if you own a gun. So you are saying your guns are within easy reach - so what if that child that came over grabbed that gun and killed your child? Bet that would change your answer

Quoting dustinsmom1:

Of course, if they asked I would tell them. My guns remain where they are at all times, I'm not changing my life to accommodate your child. If your kid doesn't know what "no" means or "don't touch" I don't want them in my house anyhow.I see no point in owning guns for protection if they are not easily accessible if needed.

As a responsible gun owner, I would never allow my child to go to a home with secretive gun owners. It's a recipe for disaster.

I'm not sure why so many are opposed to telling others that they have guns. I can't fathom a logical argument in favor of being secretive about firearms.

Quoting katy_kay08:

I know. I just find it strange that so many here think everyone should give them trust they haven't earned.

Quoting AutymsMommy:

That's why I have no problem with them asking :)

Questions are good. At least, that's how we raise our children. There is no such thing as a stupid question. This is no different.

Quoting katy_kay08:

yes, and again how would one know the difference without asking?

Quoting AutymsMommy:

Only the child of IRRESPONSIBLE gun owners would ever think to "show off" the guns. Children of responsible gun owners are taught at young ages exactly what damage a gun can and will do, how to safely handle a gun, and that guns are NOT toys to be shown off. God help one of my children if they ever decided to show off our guns. Our 11 year old dd knows better; our 3 year old has no clue that we have them, where they are and cannot reach them, to show them off.

Quoting katy_kay08:

my concern isn't about the my children wandering but rather the child that lives there showing off. This is far more likely than the strange kid peeking in your closests.

Quoting EireLass:

This is actually what I've been thinking about when I read about people NOT allowing kids to go into gun-homes. What kind of kids do these people have that the kids have the right to wander all over the place where they don't belong? Nobody belongs in my bedroom but myself and my husband. Don't people teach their children manners? And the woman about the dogs...if you don't put your dog away, the kid can't come over. How about you teach your child they are NOT to touch a service dog? This is part of what's wrong.....people think their children are angels and do no wrong. So really the choice is you (general) teach your little kid manners, or I do.

Quoting dustinsmom1:

They are out of reach from small hands and children are not left unattended in our home. There is little or no chance of a child getting their hands on a gun, even if they got close my son would tell them not to and come get me or his father immediately if we were not right there. We know where the children are in our home at all times. And no matter the situation, my answer would not change. Children who don't follow rules are not allowed in my home.

Quoting hismommy2010:

It's not just about them not wanting their child in your home if you own a gun. So you are saying your guns are within easy reach - so what if that child that came over grabbed that gun and killed your child? Bet that would change your answer

Quoting dustinsmom1:

Of course, if they asked I would tell them. My guns remain where they are at all times, I'm not changing my life to accommodate your child. If your kid doesn't know what "no" means or "don't touch" I don't want them in my house anyhow.I see no point in owning guns for protection if they are not easily accessible if needed.

You brought up your son's mistake of getting a girl pregnant as a teen. I used that to prove that kids do make mistakes and no matter how good our intentions are we cannot always stop them from making those mistakes. Leaving loaded weapons out and having a mistake or accident not happen only means you dodged a bullet.

I most certainly will keep my right to free speech and gun ownership and my comments are not idiotic as most people agree that keeping loaded weapons around children IS irresponsible. It is what irresponsible gun owners do. I have no hostility towards you at all. I'm merely disagreeing with your parenting and gun owner choices. Your anecdotal evidence of how your children managed to survive does not negate the thousands of children that have not because their parents/relatives/friends were not responsible gun owners.

Quoting Farmlady09:

My son ~ and his now wife, were using two forms of bc when she got pregnant. They were using two forms of bc when their second son was conceived. They both went and got checked, and told me that they intended to have sex before doing anything. Not nearly as irresponsible as you would like to believe. That same son, at 17, got a full time job, rented a house (not an apartment), furnished it and bought a car BEFORE that baby boy put in an appearance. He is the one that got snipped after that to make sure that there wasn't another baby since they had decided they were done. In all these years he has never once taken a dime that he didn't earn ... has two degrees, they own two homes (currently rented since they are now stationed in Italy), and he's put his life on the line 4 times now defending your right to talk smack about him to try and prove a point that doesn't exist. You need to seek harder for the truth before you expound on your version of wisdom.

I didn't take that oath, and while I support my son and my DH completely, I also retain my right to state my opinion freely. I can say that I prefer my road to hell to yours ... which deems those who travel it as knowing it all and qualified to judge things they don't know squat about. I limit myself to making the rules in my home and on my property ... and my sole interest in this discussion is centered on all the "don't know jack about guns or care about anyone's rights but their own" control freaks who think they are qualified to give up even a part of one of MY rights because they are paranoid and/or uneducated (except by our funny papers media).

You may keep both your right to free speech and gun ownership (or decline it), but you are not exempt from hearing negative feedback about your idiotic comments or outright hostility if you tell me you have more of a right to decide how I live than I do.

Quoting TruthSeeker.:

Everything you just said about children is the REASON you do not leave loaded weapons just laying around. By your own example, your son, left to his own devices knocked someone up as a teen because he was so responsible. Glad your kids made it to adulthood without ever accidentally shooting themselves or someone else. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

MY HUSBAND IS A POLICE OFFICER, SO THE WHOLE TOWN AREADY KNOWS WE HAVE GUNS IN THE HOUSE. HE IS ALSO A HUNTER, SO HE HAS GUNS AND BOWS & ARROWS IN THE GARAGE ALSO. I HAVE NEVER BEEN ASKED BUT I WOULD BE HONEST IF ASKED.

I don't care what other people think of me. I'm honest to a fault. Not going to lie about my guns. they don't want their kid here, i could less honestly. If your kid cat follow rules and doesn't know what "no" means I don't want them at my house anyhow. I dont hide anything from anyone, but im not going to change how we live to accomadate you or your little "angels". (general you)

Quoting katy_kay08:

and how would the parent of the child you invited over know this? It seems from the responses that many of the women here think they should be trusted until shown they can't be, the problem is that waiting until you (general) prove that you don't have your house and kids all that together could mean a child is dead. Your (general) ego is not worth that risk.

Quoting dustinsmom1:

My child has been taught properly, so there would be no "showing off'. As w/ any child that has been taught properly.

Quoting katy_kay08:

My child doesn't have to touch the gun to be shot by a your child showing off. (general you)

Quoting dustinsmom1:

If your children are taught respect, and what "no" means, and that there are things and places that they aren't allowed to touch or be. This is never an issue. (referring to katykay)

Quoting EireLass:

Same thing applies. Nobody belongs in my bedroom but my husband and I.